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Seven medical professionals who treated Argentine football legend Diego Maradona in his final days are facing trial for alleged criminal negligence in connection with his death. Maradona passed away on November 25, 2020, at the age of 60, after undergoing brain surgery to remove a blood clot, following years of battling cocaine and alcohol addiction. The accused, which include a neurosurgeon, psychiatrist, psychologist, medical coordinator, nursing coordinator, doctor, and night nurse, are charged with “homicide with possible intent” and could face prison sentences ranging from eight to 25 years if convicted.
Prosecutors argue that the medical team continued a treatment plan they knew could lead to Maradona’s death. Maradona’s sudden passing, during the COVID-19 pandemic, led to widespread mourning in Argentina, with tens of thousands of people paying their respects to the football icon at the presidential palace. The trial, expected to last until July, will feature over 100 witnesses, including Maradona’s family and doctors who treated him throughout his life.
The case focuses on his death at a rented house in Buenos Aires, where he was recovering after being discharged from the hospital. He died of a heart attack two weeks after the surgery. A night nurse reported signs of Maradona’s deteriorating health but was told not to wake him.
The medical team is accused of pushing for home care, which prosecutors say was reckless and insufficient. They argue that Maradona suffered through a prolonged and agonizing period before his death, and a 2021 report from a panel of 20 medical experts suggested he would have had a better chance of survival if treated in a medical facility. Maradona’s family claims that leaked audio and text messages show the medical team tried to block his daughters from intervening in his care, allegedly to protect their financial interests.
The accused deny wrongdoing, with the lawyer for psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov expressing confidence in her client’s acquittal, claiming she was responsible for Maradona’s mental health, not his physical well-being. In Maradona’s hometown of La Paternal, Buenos Aires, graffiti that reads “Justice for Diego!” has appeared, as the public awaits answers regarding the final days of the football legend’s life. Many hope the trial will bring justice, with some, like pensioner Hilda Pereira, mourning that Maradona did not deserve to die “alone.
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